Expectations rise for Dubois
Since the Blue Jackets made him the third overall pick of the 2016 NHL draft on his 18th birthday, Pierre-Luc Dubois has had to convince some hockey analysts and fans he was worthy of the franchise’s faith in him.
Dubois was more amused than insulted by the skepticism he saw on social media and elsewhere, and saved screenshots of it for motivation.
This offseason, he will be hard-pressed to find anything new.
Dubois set team season records for a rookie for goals (20), points (48) and games played (82), and he tied Zach Werenski’s rookie mark for multi-point games (12) before posting two goals and two assists in six playoff games. And he did so while centering the top line for most of the season.
“To be so young and step in and have the season he had, the way he did it … it was pretty incredible to see,” wing Boone Jenner said.
“We’re excited about what’s ahead for him,” team captain Nick Foligno noted. “He has to understand that it gets harder. It doesn’t get easier. One season doesn’t make anybody. But he has the abilities and the mindset, I think, that he knows that.”
Like Dubois’ linemate, Artemi Panarin, Foligno Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois, left, set numerous franchise rookie records this season, but he says he is looking forward to improving aspects of his game in the offseason.
foresees Dubois developing into one of the league’s best players.
“He has the ability to score big goals, to make big plays at big moments, and that’s what stars do,” Foligno said. “I have no doubt. That’s not to put pressure on him, either. That’s just his abilities.”
Days after the season ended with a firstround playoff loss to the Washington Capitals, Dubois said he hadn’t had much time to “digest” his “crazy” first NHL season. He was most proud of his all-around impact, from one end of the ice to the other, and “happy at what I accomplished.”
But, he quickly added, “I don’t think, personally, there’s anything to celebrate for me.”
Dubois, 6 feet 3 and 207 pounds, has an entry-level contract of
just under $900,000 annually that runs through the 2019-20 season. He said he wants to return for training camp bigger and stronger, better at faceoffs and puck protection, and possessing a quicker shot release.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen cited Sam Vigneault and Alexandre Texier as centers he hopes can progress like Dubois did with a third season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Kekalainen, however, stopped short of declaring Dubois the Jackets’ No. 1 center moving forward.
Dubois established himself as “a very good” NHL center but will need to establish himself again next season, Kekalainen said, adding it will be “great competition” between Dubois and
Alexander Wennberg for ice time.
“Especially with (coach John Tortorella) … you have to prove yourself every day,” he said. “You’re not going to get anything for granted where all of a sudden you can get away with a couple of bad days because ‘I established myself.’ I’m sure PierreLuc will get pushed even more to prove and earn that ice time and that role every day.”
Said Dubois, who will turn 20 on June 24: “I’m happy with the progress I made this season with everything I’ve learned. I took a lot of steps forward. But I’m not done yet. I still want to learn. I still have a lot of things I can get better at, and that’s the exciting part about this summer.”